1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tamper evident trigger sprayer bottle cap/bottle neck assembly for mounting a trigger sprayer to a bottle neck. More specifically, the present invention relates to a specially configured bottle cap having a top wall with a central opening therethrough for receiving a fluid intake portion of the sprayer and a cylindrical wall depending from the top wall. Bottle neck engaging structure, such as threads and/or ratchet teeth, for engaging similar structure on a specially configured bottle neck are provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical wall and a tamper evident ring is frangibly connected to the lower edge of the cylindrical wall. The tamper evident ring has one or more projections on the inner cylindrical surface thereof for engaging one or more projections on the outer surface of the bottle neck.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 cFR .sctn.1.97-1.99
Heretofore it has been proposed in the field of trigger sprayers to provide nozzle assemblies with tamper evident structure to indicate if an attempt has been made to rotate the nozzle. See, for example, the Knickerbocker et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,227.
Also in the trigger sprayer art, it has been proposed to provide a breakable locking device between a trigger of the trigger sprayer and the body of the trigger sprayer which breaks or falls off when the trigger is squeezed to show evidence of tampering. Alternatively, the locking device can engage the underside of the trigger and snap fit into the front of a nozzle cap located adjacent the trigger. Tampering is evident if the locking device is removed from the nozzle cap or disengaged from the trigger. See, for example, the Grogan U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,074.
Further, a tamper proof bottle cap assembly has been proposed including a bottle cap with a closed top and a depending ring which has projections on the inner surface thereof adapted to engage projections on the outer surface of a tubular bottle neck such that when an attempt is made to rotate the cap, the projections on the inside of the ring will engage projections on the outer surface of the bottle neck and prevent rotation of the ring. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,895,265; 4,909,404; and, 4,919,285.
Still further it has been proposed to provide ratchet teeth on the inside of an open top bottle cap for engaging in a ratchet manner ratchet teeth on the outer surface of a bottle neck. See, for example, the Burke U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,691.
However, heretofore, it has not been proposed to provide a tamper evident trigger sprayer bottle cap/bottle neck assembly. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, according to the present invention there is provided a tamper evident trigger sprayer bottle Cap/bottle neck assembly which can also be child resistant. The assembly includes a bottle cap having an open top, a cylindrical wall depending therefrom with bottle engaging structure on the inner surface thereof and a tamper evident ring frangibly connected to a lower annular edge of the cap. The cap engages a bottle neck having cap engaging structure thereon and ratchet type structure for engaging ratchet type structure on the inner surface of the tamper evident ring. With sufficient twist or torque of the cap in a unthreading direction, the ratchet type structures will block rotation of the ring and the ring will break off from the cap indicating that the tamper evident sprayer bottle cap/bottle neck assembly of the present invention has been tampered with.